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Nucky Thompson's corrupt ways and lust for power has pushed his wife, Margaret, out of his life. Boardwalk Empire's leading crime boss still cares for his wife and her family. Margaret (Kelly MacDonald) wants nothing to do with him. She doesn't even tell Nucky where she works.
A new wrinkle was revealed in a recent episode, "William Wilson," one that could have a major effect on Nucky: Arnold Rothstein and Margaret share a secret. The estranged Mrs. Thompson works in a Wall Street office. She helps her boss dupe men into questionable investments. It works until she encounters Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), the New York boss who is a frequent business partner and sometimes thorn in the side of Nucky.
Neither one reveals the other's true self. Rothstein, who in real life helped fix the 1919 World Series, rewards Margaret with $100 for her discretion.
What is Rothstein’s true intention? In future episodes, the juiciest result would be a hot affair with Nucky's wife. Of all the big timers on this show, Rothstein is the least sexually charged. He's a major player who never submits to the usual stable of mistresses and whores.
Get yours, Rothstein. This would enrage Nucky royally and give him leverage in all future business dealings.
Margaret is already underutilized; this would thrust her back into a leading role. These two characters should definitely hook up.
As far fetched as this sounds, it might as well happen. Boardwalk Empire features so many story lines, what’s one more affair?
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Despite having killed off its most compelling character back at the end of Season 2, Boardwalk Empire keeps trucking on... and not without professional celebration. The 2013 Emmys awarded the Best Supporting Actor title to Bobby Cannavale for his Season 3 turn as Gyp Rosetti. Presently in its fourth year, the program has attracted the likes of screen vet Jeffrey Wright as a new high-profile villain. And now, TVLine reports that HBO has renewed the period drama for a fifth season.
Steve Buscemi trucks on as Nucky Thompson, whose slow decay is hardly as eventful or riveting as that which we see in fellow antiheroes Walter White from Breaking Bad or even Don Draper from Mad Men. With a team of adequate performers and a production value that'd put the glitz and glamor of the Royal Wedding to shame, Boardwalk does manage to keep the attention of some drama enthusiasts, and of its home network.
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After the central story of Nucky Thompson's conflicted enmity with protegee Jimmy Darmody was set to an ill-conceived rest, the show seemed to have set in place a new "villain of the season" formula - a phenomenon we could more or less guess was set to become tradition even in its first incarnation, Season 3's Gyp Rosetti, played by Bobby Cannavale. Already upping the ante in both quality and quantity, Season 4 seems to be presenting a dichotomy of danger in its two newest and most interesting characters. First, we have the way-younger-than-he-looks Brian Geraghty as Prohibition Agent Warren Knox, a character who puts on a dopey shtick (think Woody Harrelson in Cheers) to cover up his sinister, corrupt internality (think Woody Harrelson in Natural Born Killers). A fun watch in the contrast of his doe-eyed demeanor and his sociopathic machinations, Knox's introduction into the life of Nucky this week gives us hope for Boardwalk's fourth season. Whereas Gyp Rosetti was a firecracker who just kept acting loonier, dissolving his actions of any real surprise or emotional impact, Knox seems far more unpredictable. We don't know his angle. We just know he has one.
Also creeping his way into Nucky Thompson's life is one Dr. Valentin Narcisse, who takes a more sophisticated, almost Bond villain-like approach to criminality. Narcisse represents Cora Pastor — the woman who entangled Dunn Purnsley in a perverse act of sadomasochism that provoked him to kill her husband — not to mention an impassioned albeit slow-cooking movement for the progression of blacks in America. Narcisse views himself, and Nucky, as a king, bent on seizing the coveted Atlantic throne. Again, Narcisse is already proving to be a good deal more fun than Rosetti was. Sure, we've seen the eloquent and poised evil mastermind explored time and time again in film and television, but there's an added bonus here: Jeffrey Wright. A cinematic vet who could very well make the stoic, soft-spoken Narcisse into something more than a rehashed trope.
Another perk of this week's episode: its reunion with one of the series' best characters and performers: Nelson Van Alden/Harold Muller, played consistently charmingly by Michael Shannon. The disgraced lawman has become a glorified thug for Chicago's Irish mobster O'Banion... but succumbs to the threats and calls of Chicago's Italian crook Al Capone. Wading between two crime kingpins is not exactly an ideal lot, especially for the psychologically rattled Van Alden, who has got two children and a wife to care for. And ugh, that apartment does need a good wall papering.
Which of this season's new baddies are you gearing up to enjoy the most? The dopey crooked cop or the affluent, poised crime genius?
More:'Boardwalk Empire' Season 4 Premiere Recap'Boardwalk Empire' Snags Patricia ArquetteVampire Weekend + Steve Buscemi = Strange Glory
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As Boardwalk Empire is imbued with a larger population than most Asian countries, it's always helpful to take a step back and give some thought to where each of the HBO drama's characters are setting up to go at the beginning of every new chapter. The Season 4 premiere set a number of familiar faces on their courses for the next set of episodes…
Nucky ThompsonNow a bachelor, standing knee-deep in that same narcissistic lust for troubled showgirls that has plagued him since the Lucy days, Nucky takes an interest in Eddie Cantor's new onstage sidekick, using his ominous reputation as a tool to entice her (and scare detractors like Cantor). Meanwhile, Nucky manages a peace treaty with kingpins Masseria and Rothstein, albeit one that feels oh so fragile.
Al CaponeEternally affixed on his public image, Capone goes nuts when a local newspaper runs reports of his and Johnny Torrio's malfeasances but with his name misspelled as "Caponi." We see Al's childlike rage build as he yearns for notoriety and respect.
Chalky WhiteA businessman on the rise, Chalky institutes a deal with a talent agent… one who faces a nasty end when Chalky's right hand man, Dunn Purnsley, finds himself in one severely twisted love triangle.
Eli and Will ThompsonPutting his best foot forward in the fathering game, Eli is really riding his oldest son Will to stay studious, healthy, and righteous. Will, on the other hand, wants in on the family business. And, of course, he will probably get involved pretty soon.
Gillian DarmodyPoor Gillian. Poor, pathetic, corrosive, evil Gillian. With a legion of prostitutes over whom to loom no longer, Gillian has taken to turning tricks herself, roping in big bucks for her encounters with deep-pocketed businessmen. Her latest client, played by Ron Livingston, seems like the sort we'll be seeing quite a bit this season. Additionally, we find Gillian on the villainous side of a heated legal battle for custody of Tommy Darmody — also fighting to adopt the child: Richard's flame Julia and her father, Mr. Sagorsky. Which brings us to…
RichardStill pretty glued to the whole "killing people" thing, we see Richard take down three nameless cads over the course of the episode, but a far more surprising conclusion faces our favorite character: he goes home. Back to the farm, where he reunited at long last with his twin sister. So does this mean he can finally be happy? Maybe? Please?
Where will the season take these characters? And which old favorites are we looking forward to seeing pop up next week?
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The anti-hero is a relatively recent phenomenon on television. Think about it, before characters like Walter White took over the small screen, all we really had was Mr. Burns on The Simpsons. And thanks to the burgeoning cable drama, where the creators of shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Ray Donovan are given free rein, it looks as if the anti-hero is here to stay. Here are five of TV's best.
5. Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) on Boardwalk EmpireThis Atlantic City mob boss's soft spot for his family is marred by a brutal coldness that caused him to callously murder the same man he once called a son. Talk about a contradiction.
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4. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) on The ShieldThe television landscape is littered with corrupt cops. But only Vic Mackey is ruthless enough to burn a dude's face on a stove.
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3. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) on Breaking BadHe may be a high school chemistry teacher, but when it comes to crystal meth, no one can cook it like Walter White (AKA Heisenberg).
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2. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) on Mad MenHe cheats on his wife, lies to his children, and backstabs his co-works. Oh yeah, he also just happens to be the best damn ad man working on Madison Avenue.
Michael Yarish/AMC
1. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) on The SopranosWhen James Gandolfini unexpectedly died last month the world lost not only a great actor, but also the very man who brought to life the greatest anti-hero the screen has ever seen. The Walter Whites and Don Drapers of the world would never have existed, if Tony Soprano hadn't been there first.
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So what, exactly, is Billy Bob Thornton these days? A washed-up has-been? A still-great icon just biding time before his next great exploit? A cult sensation simmering with grandeur inches below the radar? What feelings are meant to be conjured up at the utterance of his multitude of names? The actor, who hasn't done much in the vein of memorable cinema lately, is vying for a place on the small screen with his old friends the Coen Bros in the television adaptation of Fargo. On the show, as reported by Deadline, Thornton will play the manipulative antagonist Lorne Malvo, who serves as the slithering sorcerer to the FX limited series' small town good guy hero.
Thornton should have quite a good deal of fun with a sadistic Coen creation, drawing upon his The Man Who Wasn't there days as the ruthless, desperate Ed Crane. But the original film Fargo, as we remember it, had quite the different sort of villain: as Carl Showalter, Steve Buscemi was an anxious weasel. His associate Peter Stormare was dead-eyed, closed-mouthed, and cold-blooded. Ed had a steady hand but no dearth of flowing color, and it sounds like Thornton's new character is closer to this outline than to either of Fargo's big screen baddies.
Stylized as a snake in the Garden of Eden, Thornton seems to be operating with the upper hand and with a uniquely evil sensibility based on his character summation alone. On the other hand, Buscemi and Stormare felt like crooked splinters in a large plank of rotting wood that was North Dakota's frozen hellhole. So what will that make of the Fargo TV show? Something altogether different from the bizarre and bleak fan favorite movie, but not absent of the Coen Bros style. The Man Who Wasn't There might not have championed the cult fervor that Fargo has, but it stands as an excellent piece of work with a lead character worthy of our cinematic memories. So to see him reinvented, to some degree, on the small screen? We're on board.
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Give all the credit you want to high concept features like Pacific Rim, the most ambitious movie of the summer is undoubtedly Grown Ups 2. Although it seems like a pretty simplistic story — friends and families enjoying the summer in their hometown — there are actually so many plotlines in the Adam Sandler flick that you'd be hard pressed to name them all. Especially since so many of them are never concluded.
The amount of dropped plots in the Grown Ups sequel is so astonishing that it's hard to believe the film is actually a final cut. So what kind of arcs are we talking here? Peruse the list below.
Kevin James disapproves of how his Maria Bello is raising their childrenJames walks in on his wife validating their young son's incorrect answers in a series of math equations, exhibiting frustration with her dedication to "boosting his confidence" over teaching him math. Ditto for Bello's allowing their daughter to wear flashy homemade shoes to school. After we see how much Smith disapproves of these things, in the first scene wherein we meet the character by the way, we never broach the subject again.
Maya Rudolph forgets her and Chris Rock's wedding anniversaryThere is something particularly bizarre about this one, considering just how "sinister" Rudolph seems in delivering the scene of forgetting her anniversary to Chris Rock (also the first scene in which we meet these characters). Later on, Rudolph is extremely sexually aggressive with her attractive male aerobics instructor... but... nothing. Never brought up again until, save for a "Happy Anniversary!" callback spoken from Rudolph to Rock at the end of the film.
Adam Sandler thinks Salma Hayek is cheating on himThis is mentioned once, not acknowledged for about an hour, and then set to rest when he realizes the guy he suspects as the other man is gay. Technically this plot does have an ending, just no middle.
David Spade's son defaces the local college fraternity houseA group of narcissistic frat boys blames Sandler and co. for the vandalism imparted upon their residence, but it is David Spade's estranged son who announces that he is to blame. Why? Because, despite his vehement disapproval of his "new" father's lies and lifestyle, does he truly want to connect with him? We... don't know. We never learn. The issue is never addressed again after a simple "It was me!"
Kevin James' daughter is in love with Adam Sandler's sonIt is made abundantly clear that James' daughter has a crush on Sandler's younger son. Sandler even points this out to son Keith, leading the audience to believe that love might blossom. But love never blossoms. Ever. We never see the two kids speak to each other through the remainder of the film.
Hayek thinks football is dangerous, or somethingSandler takes Keith out to practice some place kicks, resulting in a broken leg. Considering the attention given to Sandler and Hayek's argument about letting their kids take risks and do dangerous things, you might expect this to lead to some serious problems. It doesn't. It happens midway through the movie, setting to rest the heavyhanded theme altogether.
Sandler's other son, and Chris Rock's son, try to fit in with a bunch of college kidsHere's a plot, for sure! Sandler and Rock's oldest kids want the local college kids to think they're cool. So how do they do it? By faking drunkenness and pretending to be college seniors with false names. What traditional, albeit plausibly hilarious hijinks might ensue? None. Ever.
Chris Rock's son takes his driver's testGranted, those college kids do see Rock taking his driver's test, and throw him a couple of beers en media res, but instead of earning him the scorn of instructor Steve Buscemi and thus careening him down a path of conflict and dejection, it just results in a one-off gag with Rock Jr. and Buscemi enjoying a cheerleader car wash together. And that's the end of that.
Kevin Smith is addicted to 5-Hour Energy drinksHe chugs a bunch of them in one scene, earning the concern of his friends. Never ever mentioned again. Ever.
Nick SwardsonIt's all very confusing.
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By now, we know what we're getting ourselves into when we sign on for a new buddy cop movie: One's a hardnosed, by-the-book professional with a no nonsense attitude and a suffering personal life. The other's a fun-loving renegade who uses alternative methods to get the job done, but incurs the wrath of all those trying to uphold protocol. Oh, and they're both dudes. We don't know why that is part of the regimen, but it is an element that has been rigidly maintained through the Lethal Weapons, the Rush Hours, the 48 Hrs, and good ol' Starsky and Hutch. But Paul Feig's The Heat lays waste to this arbitrary pattern, casting Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy as a pair of officers who do wonders with the age old trope.
Vexingly, a great deal of cinematic traditions are dominated by male actors and characters. When you think of mob movies, of crime thrillers, of screwball comedies, of science-fiction and fantasy, or of animated adventures, you're bound to think immediately of the vast number of men who have brought these stories to life on screen. But scattered throughout an industry that seems to opt for old hat over new and inventive are the outlying gems that prove that women can deliver these sorts of films with the same majesty and entertainment as their male counterparts.
The Silence Of The LambsGenre: ThrillerHeroine: Clarice Starling, played by Jodie FosterThe theme of gender provide quite a hurdle for Clarice Starling. But in and beyond her universe, she trounces these barriers, becomingperhaps the most memorable FBI agent in cinema history.
The Quick and the DeadGenre: WesternHeroine: Ellen, played by Sharon StoneThe Western is likely more male-dominated than any other genre, which is why Sharon Stone's turn at the head of the 1995 film proves all the more riveting,
AlienGenre: Sci-fiHeroine: Ripley, played by Sigourney WeaverSurrounded by male officers, secret cyborgs, and homicidal aliens, Sigourney Weaver is still the most gripping aspect of Ridley Scott's classic Alien, her strength and nobility never waning as she treads into the most dangerous and horrifying territories imaginable.
Thelma and LouiseGenre: Outlaw movieHeroines: The titular characters, played by Susan Sarandon and Geena DavisEarning audience yehaws no lower in volume than those conjured by Butch and Sundance, heroes Thelma and Louise make for one of the most cherished outlaw films in recent history, not to mention the most moving.
FargoGenre: Crime dramaHeroine: Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormandWe love William H. Macy, ya, and that Steve Buscemi is a hoot, dontchaknow. But Fargo is far and away Frances McDormand's movie.
Kill BillGenre: Assassin/martial arts movieHeroine: Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo, played by Uma ThurmanQuentin Tarantino's female characters have always been impressive, with his sword-wielding Beatrix topping the lot in her martial arts adventure. The character exhibits an all-powerful love for her daughter, which drives her through countless bloody missions in the modern classic two-parter.
UnderworldGenre: Vampire movieHeroine: Selene, played by Kate BeckinsaleTrue, there were female heroines in the vampire genre before Beckinsale (yes, we want to give Buffy her rightful nod). But the first true and traditionally dark vamp flick with a badass lady at the center was indeed the Underworld series.
HaywireGenre: ActionHeroine: Mallory Kane, played by Gina CaranoFilled with nonstop action, thrills, gasps, bone snaps, and run-for-your-life moments, Steven Soderbergh's Haywire allows Gina Carano a platform to kick the crap out of every man with whom she crosses paths... which she could very well have done, just as easily, in real life.
BridesmaidsGenre: Screwball comedyHeroines: The lead ensemble, played by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and Rose ByrneFinally, another from Feig, and a fan favorite at that. Launching McCarthy's career and giving Wiig her first turn as a movie star, Bridesmaids re-opened the discussion of whether women could handle all sorts of comedy as well as men can. Anyone still on the fence has got to watch this movie again, and fast.
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The Sopranos creator David Chase paid a heartwarming tribute to late star James Gandolfini by writing his eulogy in the form of a letter to the tragic actor at his funeral in New York on Thursday (27Jun13). The executive producer remembered his friend as a man who never lost touch with his inner child as he addressed mourners at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, but admitted it was the sadness behind his eyes which helped him to bring his most famous character, mob boss Tony Soprano, to life on the small screen.
He said, "You were a good boy... A sad boy, amazed and confused. You could see it in your eyes. That's why I think you were such a great actor, because of that boy inside.
"I think your talent is that you can take the immensity of humankind and the universe and shine it right back at us."
Gandolfini's widow, Deborah Lin, the mother of his nine-month-old daughter Lily, also spoke at the service, telling the congregation, "My husband was an honest, kind and loving man. He cared more about others than himself... Thank you for the memories of the beautiful life we spent together. I love you Jim, and I always will. Rest in peace."
A host of stars from the actor's TV family turned out for the memorial, such as his onscreen wife Edie Falco and daughter Jamie-Lynn Sigler, as well as Steve Buscemi, Steve Schirripa, Lorraine Bracco, Vincent Curatola, Joe Pantoliano, Tony Sirico, Dominic Chianese, Aida Turturro, Michael Imperioli and Vincent Pastore, while other guests included Alec Baldwin and his heavily pregnant wife Hilaria, and Chris Christie, governor of Gandolfini's native New Jersey.
Gandolfini's sisters, Leta and Johanna, his son Michael, 13, and his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski were also in attendance for the 90-minute ceremony, which was led by Reverend James A. Kowalski.
Speaking before the funeral, Sirico expressed his sympathies for Gandolfini's baby girl having to grow up without her father, saying, "He's a great actor and he was a great guy... He's got a new baby. She'll grow up and have to be told who he was by her mum. It's sad."
And actor David Rasche, who appeared alongside Gandolfini in 2009 film In the Loop, added: "He was such a terrific guy and a terrific actor... He was a huge presence, huge... He was kind and loving and generous, but he was a really big presence; he really filled a role."
Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome, Italy last Wednesday (19Jun13) at the age of 51.

The Sopranos actors Edie Falco and Steve Buscemi are among the mourners who have gathered at a New York church to bid farewell to their tragic co-star James Gandolfini at his funeral on Thursday (27Jun13). Other members of his TV family, including Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Dominic Chianese and Aida Turturro, were also photographed arriving at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, while pal Alec Baldwin and Chris Christie, governor of Gandolfini's native New Jersey, were in attendance too.
Members of the public wanting to pay their respects to the late actor were allowed to take seats in the church after the invited guests had arrived.
The service, led by Reverend James A. Kowalski, is expected to last 90 minutes and will feature eulogies from David Chase, the creator of the hit mob drama, Gandolfini's widow Deborah Lin, and two family friends.
The funeral is being filmed by bosses at cable channel HBO, which aired The Sopranos, for a special family video, and network executives are believed to have also covered the costs of the ceremony.
Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome, Italy last Wednesday (19Jun13) at the age of 51.